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Recent detailed marine geologic investigations on subaqueous parts of continental shelves seaward of many river deltas experiencing high depositional rates have revealed contemporary recurrent subaqueous gravity-induced mass movements as common phenomena worthy of consideration as an integral component of the normal deltaic process and marine sediment transport. Off river deltas such as the Mississippi, Magdalena (Colombia), Orinoco (Venezuela), Surinam (Surinam), Amazon (Brazil), Yukon (Alaska), Niger (Nigeria), Nile (Egypt), and Hwang-Ho (China), subaqueous slumping and downslope mass movement of sediments are common processes. Instabilities and mass movement of sediment in these regions generally display the following characteristics: (a) instability occurs on very low angle slopes (generally less than 2°); (b) large quantities of sediment are transported from shallow water to deeper water offshore along well-defined mudflow gullies (debris flows) and in a variety of translational slumps. Although individual mudflow features vary in size and frequency, they generally possess a source area consisting of subsidence and rotational slumping, an elongate, often sinuous chute or channel (mudflow gully), and a composite depositional area composed of overlapping lobes of remolded debris.
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Recent detailed marine geologic investigations on subaqueous parts of continental shelves seaward of many river deltas experiencing high depositional rates have revealed contemporary recurrent subaqueous [[gravity]]-induced mass movements as common phenomena worthy of consideration as an integral component of the normal deltaic process and marine sediment transport. Off river deltas such as the Mississippi, Magdalena (Colombia), Orinoco (Venezuela), Surinam (Surinam), Amazon (Brazil), Yukon (Alaska), Niger (Nigeria), Nile (Egypt), and Hwang-Ho (China), subaqueous slumping and downslope mass movement of sediments are common processes. Instabilities and mass movement of sediment in these regions generally display the following characteristics: (a) instability occurs on very low angle slopes (generally less than 2°); (b) large quantities of sediment are transported from shallow water to deeper water offshore along well-defined mudflow gullies (debris flows) and in a variety of translational slumps. Although individual mudflow features vary in size and frequency, they generally possess a source area consisting of subsidence and rotational slumping, an elongate, often sinuous chute or channel (mudflow gully), and a composite depositional area composed of overlapping lobes of remolded debris.
    
River deltas displaying an abundance of submarine landslides are generally characterized by high rates of sediment accumulation within both fine-grained and coarse-grained fractions. Sediments therefore have an extremely high water content and most commonly display excess pore fluid pressures.
 
River deltas displaying an abundance of submarine landslides are generally characterized by high rates of sediment accumulation within both fine-grained and coarse-grained fractions. Sediments therefore have an extremely high water content and most commonly display excess pore fluid pressures.

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